The Skipjacks' Steve Seftel scored the eventual game-winner at vTC 15 minutes, 42 seconds of the second period to give Baltimore a 4-3 lead and a 3-6-1 record in the road swing. The Skipjacks return to the Baltimore Arena to play the Hershey Bears tonight.

The win boosted the Skipjacks (11-9-1) to a second-place tie with the Adirondack Red Wings in the American Hockey League's Southern Division. Both teams trail the first-place Utica Devils by one point.

"It's been a very difficult trip," Seftel said. "We had eight games in 12 nights in the Maritimes. Then we played in Hershey [Wednesday night] and here tonight at this rink. We've got some home games coming up in December and now we just want to try and put a few wins together.

"There's so much parity in this league. Every team has good players and any team can win on any night."

Reggie Savage added two third-period goals, as the Skipjacks put the game away. Savage now has 13 goals on the season.

Goaltender Olaf Kolzig, who allowed three goals in the first period, finished with 26 saves.

"I saw one of the off-ice officials' sheets and they [the Skipjacks] had 34 shots in the slot," said Binghamton coach John Paddock. "We had 14. We could play 100 games like that and we wouldn't win any of them. It was just awful."

Said Baltimore coach Rob Laird, "They put a lot of pressure on us early, but we capitalized on our chances and ended up in a tie after the first period.

"It was a big win. It gives us a little something to take back home."

The two teams engaged in a first period that saw five goals in the first 11 minutes.

The Rangers took an early 1-0 lead when right wing Tie Domi backhanded his own rebound past Kolzig. It was Domi's 11th goal of the season.

The Skipjacks tied the game at 6 minutes, 15 seconds of the first period when left wing Tyler Larter scored his 11th goal of the season off an assist from Alfie Turcotte.

Just 49 seconds later, Skipjacks defenseman Ken Lovsin let loose a slap shot from the point that hit St. Laurent's stick and bounded over his right shoulder for a goal and a 2-1 Baltimore lead.

Binghamton's Ross Fitzpatrick scored at 9:15 to tie it at 2-2. And 77 seconds later, Steve Maltais scored to put Baltimore back on top, 3-2.

The Rangers appeared to tie it when the goal judge turned on the light after a shot to the corner of the net by Len Hachborn at 8:48. Referee Dave Jackson ruled the puck had hit the post and not gone over the goal line.

Hachborn did tie it at 3-3 with a power-play goal at 16:10 -- six seconds after Lovsin went to the penalty box for interference.

The Rangers outshot the Skipjacks, 26-22, in the first two periods.

Binghamton's Domi and Baltimore's Jim Mathieson fought twice in the third period. The second fight came with just 15 seconds remaining with Domi egging it on until Mathieson finally gave in and dropped the gloves. Each was given fighting majors and Domi a 10-minute misconduct.

Skipjacks tonight

' Opponent: Hershey Bears

Site: Baltimore Arena, 7:35 p.m.

Radio: WLIF (1300 AM)

Tickets: Plenty available

Outlook: The Skipjacks, back from a 10-game, 20-day trip, will play the Bears for the second time in three days. Baltimore has lost RW Bob Joyce on recall to the Washington Capitals, but has received RW John Purves in return. D Kent Paynter (hamstring), D Mark Ferner (concussion) and C Alfie Turcotte (leg) will be back in action. Hershey has acquired G Marc D'Amour from the '' Fort Wayne Komets of the IHL and LW Pat Murray from the Philadelphia Flyers. The Bears will be missing C Tim Tookey (ankle) and RW Bill Armstrong (knee).